Something 2 GSN

How to Install

1. Download the Plugin file.
2. In Astah, go to [Plugin] – [Installed Plugins].
3. In the dialog box, click [Install], then select the downloaded .jar file.
4. Restart Astah and create a new project or open an existing file.
5. If you see [GSN generator] under the [Tools] menu, the installation is complete. Continue to How to Use.
   

How to Use

Note: This plugin creates an XMI file for import into Astah GSN. Astah GSN is no longer sold (sales ended on March 31, 2023, and support ended on March 31, 2024).

Diagrams to convert

• Below is a sample mind map before converting to GSN.
  
• Each topic must end with a colon followed by the GSN model type to convert it into, such as “goal” or “strategy”. The supported model types are:
  • goal
  • strategy
  • solution
  • context
  • assumption
  • justification
• In addition to mind maps, the plugin supports the following model types and diagrams (see Converting from other diagram types):
  • Classes and objects in class diagrams
  • Objects in activity diagrams
  • Blocks in block definition diagrams
• The plugin cannot convert models to GSN/D-Case correctly if the relationships among the models (the structure of the mind map) are invalid in GSN syntax.

Generating GSN/D-Case from a mind map

1. In the structure tree, select the mind map you want to convert to GSN/D-Case.
   
2. Go to [Tools] – [GSN Generator] – [Generating GSN for the current diagram].
   
3. When a dialog asks you to save the file, enter a name and save it with the .xmi extension.

Importing the converted models into Astah GSN

1. Launch Astah GSN and open an existing project or create a new one.
2. From the main menu, go to [Tool] – [XMI] – [XMI import].
   
3. In the file chooser, select the .xmi file generated by this plugin. The imported models appear in the structure tree.
   
4. Create a new GSN diagram or open an existing one, and drag and drop the models from the structure tree onto the diagram.
   
5. Go to [Alignment] – [Auto Layout].
   
6. The converted GSN models are arranged while keeping their structure.
   

Converting from other diagram types

Objects in a class diagram

• Objects and the links between them in a class diagram, like the one below, can be converted to GSN. Set the class of each object to “goal”, “strategy”, “context”, “assumption”, or “justification” to specify the GSN model type to convert it into. The color settings of the objects are kept in the converted GSN models.
  
• Here is a sample GSN converted from the class diagram above.
  

Classes in a class diagram

• Classes and all their associations are converted to GSN models. Add a stereotype to each class to specify the GSN model type to convert it into.
  

Objects in an activity diagram

• Objects and the relationships between them are converted to GSN models. Set the class of each object to “goal”, “strategy”, “context”, “assumption”, or “justification” to specify the GSN model type to convert it into. The same applies to blocks in activity diagrams in Astah SysML.
  
• In Astah SysML, the diagram looks like this.
  

Blocks in a block definition diagram

• Blocks and all their relationships in a block definition diagram are converted to GSN. Add a stereotype to each block to specify the GSN model type to convert it into.
  

Others

• To renumber the IDs of the converted GSN models, right-click on the diagram editor and select [Reset GSN ID].